Monday, my first legit day of college. Providing Dad didn’t haul my ass out of here in the morning. Tomorrow I’d learn myfinal fate, and whether my dreams of attending Weatherstone College were about to come to an end.
Chapter 7
Hands traced along my skin, the touch firm as he dragged his palms across the hard peaks of my nipples. A moan spilled frommy lips, and I gasped as the heat of his tongue flicked over the tight bud of my right nipple. His hold was heavy, pressingme into the bed, and I loved his weight against mine. I writhed against him, needing more. “Please...” I moaned. As helifted his head, the green of his eyes—
Gah! I jerked awake, heart racing as I pressed my hands to my clammy cheeks—my body was on fire despite the cool dorm room.I’d had this dream for weeks now, thoroughly seduced by a faceless male who claimed me as if he owned me, and there’d neverbeen a single defining feature... until tonight.
I knew those arctic green eyes. That fucking spellcaster wasn’t content with simply ruining my waking hours, he’d now decidedto invade my sleep. I squinted at my watch in the dim light to find it was only 2:00 a.m.
Too early to get up for classes, but I was way too worked up to sleep, so I decided to grab a quick shower and wash off thesweat. It wouldn’t hurt to cool down my overheated body either.
When I pulled myself out of bed, the moonlight through the window was dull. Crossing to grab my toiletries and a new set of pajamas, I brushed my hand across my crystals, needing their comfort. I’d settled on bringing my favorite mix ofamethyst, quartz, obsidian, and moonstone. I’d also packed a necklace that I’d inherited from Granny Helena. I’d never met this particular gran, who’d died giving birth to Mom, but we’d both been crystal lovers.
Tonight, my precious gems were bathing in the moon’s glow, recharging their energies. Ugh,Precious. And now I was thinking about that spellcaster and the green of his eyes in my dream. Was that a new nickname, or anothermemory just out of reach? Why did that one meeting with him imply a sense of knowing Logan my entire life when he was nothingmore than a stranger? A dangerous one at that.
When I stepped into the hall, it was empty, lit only by a few sconces high on the filigreed walls. I didn’t encounter anotherstudent on my way, and it was only when I entered the well-lit bathroom that it crossed my mind I’d just broken my promiseto Dad by wandering around the halls at two in the morning. For a second I was torn, before deciding that I was already there,so I might as well rinse off.
The bright lights blinded me until my eyes adjusted, and then I grabbed two towels, wedging them under my arm as I headedtoward the back where the showers were. The bathroom tiles were sparkling white, cleaned and sanitized every hour—or soonerif a mess was detected by the spells lingering in the walls. That niggling worry about danger faded as I enjoyed the silence,only to reemerge in a burst when I heard a small cry.
I paused, body tense as I waited.
“Stop!”
Another weak plea. Broken. Someone was in trouble in this room, and as tingles raced along my spine—magic or adrenaline, itwas hard to tell—I decided to check out the situation. If someone needed help and I just ran and left them, I’d never forgivemyself.
Shucking off my flip-flops, my bare feet padded against the cool floor as I crept silently. My hands were full, but I wasn’t going to risk dropping my shit and alerting them to my presence. As I got closer to the showers, I heard another voice. “You think you’re so fucking special,” a witch rasped. “Your father got mine fired and destroyed my family. So, now . . . now, I’m going to destroy you.”
There was another whimper. “I’m sorry. It had nothing to do with me.”
A crack echoed loudly, and I ran. The caress of magic touched my skin, and I tasted electric energy on my tongue. I recognizedthe power; it was an air elemental.
Rounding the corner, I skidded to a halt to find a redheaded witch on the floor of a stall, half soaked in the water of theshower, and completely naked. Another witch stood over her, slapping air at the crouching witch, her cracks leaving red welts.
As I finally dropped my items, I charged forward. I hated bullies, especially since my second year of primary where I’d beentargeted by a small group of assholes-in-the-making. For a solid year they’d made my life miserable, until I’d learned tofight back.
This scene triggered me back to my childhood, and before I even knew it, I was ready to jump in.
The air elemental was so caught up in being the Wicked Witch of Weatherstone, she didn’t even hear me coming until I punchedher right in the side of the head. Yep, cheap shot, but desperate times when I had no active magic.
Her raged-filled gasp was loud as she stumbled and fell in the water too, leaving her neat blond chignon disheveled. Firedup, I came at her again, and to my surprise she pushed to her feet and took off, slipping on the wet floors, followed by thedistant echoing of the bathroom door slamming shut.
Expecting she’d be back, I quickly turned to the redheaded witch, who was staggering to her feet, one arm wrapped across her breasts. “Are you okay?” I asked, snagging one of her towels hanging on the hook and handing it to her.
She took it, sucking in ragged breaths, pupils dilated. “Holy shit,” she breathed. “Holy, holy fucking shit.” Her breathsgrew even raspier, and I wondered if she was going into shock.
“You’re safe now,” I said in my best calming tone. “I’m sure she won’t be back tonight, but if I were you, I’d leave my showersto a time when this room has witnesses.”
She stared at me, and then at the towel in her hands, and there was a visible calming as she pulled herself together. “Thatbitch ambushed me,” she bit out, wrapping the white length around herself. Her huge brown eyes, a similar shade to her skin,lifted to clash with mine. “And you saved me. Thank you. Shit, I should have said that right from the start.”
“No worries.” My favorite phrase was in use again. “I’m just glad I was here.”
She shot me a rueful glance. “Would you believe I’m a water elemental? I should have been able to take her out on my own,even untrained, but she was relentless.”
The welts from the attack were visible on her flawless skin, and as she moved closer, I realized how pretty she was. Perfectbrown skin, long, dark lashes that skimmed her cheeks, and full rosy lips to match the very red of her hair. A color thatlooked magically enhanced, the darker roots just visible along her part. “I’m Belle,” she said, flashing me a genuine smile.“I think I saw you in the office this morning.”
“Right, yes, I’m Paisley.”
She’d been the curious redhead watching my father lose his mind. Thankfully she didn’t ask me what our drama was about; she had enough of her own. “Annabeth must have been waiting for her opportunity. Her father used to work for minein the High Council of Magic. He got fired two months ago for taking coven bribes. Nothing to do with my dad at all.” She tilted her head toward me. “Why did you punch her and not use magic?”
